Tradecraft Feats
__NOEDITSECTION__These feats represent specialized knowledge and abilities possessed by some of the world’s premier espionage agents. Of the base classes, only the Snoop gains easy access to these feats — all others must gain them as level-based feats. GCs wishing to present a non-espionage setting should consider banning some or all of these feats from play. Best Under Pressure When things look tough, you always rise to the occasion. Benefit: When making an attack or skill check, you may choose a discretion, gear, insight, morale, or synergy penalty from which you’re suffering and negate it, gaining an equal bonus of the same type and value instead. You may use this ability a number of times per session equal to the number of Tradecraft feats you possess. Breaking Points You know how to get into people’s heads and shake things up. Benefit: When you’re the Predator in a brainwash or interrogation, the starting Lead decreases by 1. Further, you may increase your Conflict skill check’s error range by 1 to reduce the current round’s duration to 1/2 standard. Finally, when you’re the Predator in a brainwash or interrogation, you may choose any Predator Strategy even if you don’t meet its requirements. Bug Basics You are a whiz at planting and using bugs. Prerequisite: Sleight of Hand 3+ ranks. Benefit: You gain 1 bug as a Possession (personal gear). This bug’s Caliber may not exceed 1/3 your career level (rounded up). Further, each time you request one or more bugs, you gain double the standard number. Also, you gain a +2 gear bonus with Sleight of Hand/Stash Item and Sneak/Stash Item checks made to conceal bugs. Finally, the range increment of each bug you plant is doubled. Bug Mastery Your bugs possess features most specialists only dream of. Prerequisite: Electronics 9+ ranks, Bug Basics. Benefit: You gain 1 bug as a Possession. This bug’s Caliber may not exceed 1/3 your career level (rounded up, maximum Caliber V). Further, each time you gain a bug, you also gain 1 Caliber I gadget mechanism which must use the chosen bug as its housing. Finally, you gain a +2 gear bonus with Sneak/Stash Item checks made to conceal bugs. Bug Supremacy Your bugs are at the technological bleeding edge, featuring mobility and powerful onboard guidance systems. Prerequisite: Electronics 15+ ranks, Bug Mastery. Benefit: When choosing mission gear, you may select bugs as if the mission’s Caliber were at least IV. Further, your bugs may contain up to 1 additional gadget mechanism or may be instructed to act independently as trained animals with an Intelligence of 1, up to 3 “trained” NPC qualities of your choice, a base speed of 10 ft., and 2 Grade III skills. Changing from direct control to autonomous control requires 1 free action and may be transmitted to the bug by voice command or a coded radio signal. Finally, you gain a +4 gear bonus with Sleight of Hand/Stash Item and Sneak/Stash Item checks made to conceal bugs. Candidate Your hidden potential compensates for your natural weaknesses. Prerequisites: Career level 1 only (when the feat is chosen). Benefit: Your 2 lowest attributes each increase by 1 (your choice of attribute in the case of a tie). Career Agent You’ve been poisoned, blown up, and tortured so many times that you’ve built up an immunity. Prerequisites: Career level 6+. Benefit: You gain a +1 insight bonus with all Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves. Additionally, you gain an additional +1 Reputation or +$50,000 Net Worth at the end of each mission. Commendation You’re on your superiors’ short lists — for promotion! Benefit: You may undertake Crossroads Subplots as if your Career Level were 2 higher, and as if you had accomplished 2 additional standard Subplots. Further, each time you gain an XP reward for earning 1 action die, each of your teammates gains an additional 25 XP at the end of the current mission. This may not increase a teammate’s total XP bonuses from action dice above the standard limit of 25 × his Career Level per mission. Cryptographer You have a bizarre but fruitful relationship with codes. Prerequisite: Science (Mathematics) 4+ ranks. Benefit: You may break, write, or request any code as if its Power Rating were 2 lower. Disease Basics You’re practiced with the field application of deadly pathogens. Prerequisites: Science (Genetics) 3+ ranks. Benefit: You gain 1 disease sample as a Possession (personal gear), chosen from the options on Table 3.2: Disease Basics Options. Also, you cannot accidentally expose yourself when creating a disease, or preparing a disease for use. Finally, you gain a +2 bonus with saves made to resist diseases. Flawless Identity You compartmentalize your mind to support an elaborate fiction of multiple lives. Prerequisites: Career level 6+. Benefit: You gain a number of specific, named identities equal to your starting action dice. Each of these identities features complete background documentation equivalent to a cover identity with a Power Rating of 6. You must define these identities when you gain this feat; thereafter, you may only replace them during the Intel Phase of each mission. Slipping into one of these identities — i.e. “getting into character” — requires 1 minute and 1 action die, while returning to your natural identity requires only 1 free action. While you’re in character, your true personality is completely submerged but still controls your actions. You retain all of your main character’s feats and skill ranks, but may voluntarily suppress or reduce any of them to better match the assumed identity. Further, each identity possesses 1 Profession focus and 2 Interests (chosen when this feat is gained, and when each identity is replaced), and you may use these focuses and Interests only while in the appropriate identity. When questioned in character, you respond in character. You are not considered to be lying when you deny any knowledge of activities performed while not in character, or in a different identity. Each identity genuinely recalls innocuous and difficult-to-verify activities to cover gaps when you were out of character or in a different identity, and subconsciously avoids situations and actions that might call the identity into question (e.g. it avoids situations requiring skill checks for skills it doesn’t actually possess). While you’re in character, your true personality may only be discovered with a successful brainwashing attempt (and even this only confirms that you aren’t who you claim to be). Forensic Genius Your senses and keen mind shed brilliant light on the most elusive mysteries. Prerequisites: Analysis 4+ ranks. Benefit: The number of Challenges required during any Complex Analysis Task you undertake decreases by 2 (minimum 1). Further, you gain a synergy bonus from your Analysis skill with Search checks. Friends in Power You can sometimes pull strings to get amazing mission perks. Prerequisites: Career Level 15+, Old School. Benefit (city): Once per mission, you may request 1 gear item that may typically be obtained only by spending Reputation or Net Worth at a reduced cost. The item’s cost decreases by 1 Reputation or $50,000 Net Worth per Tradecraft feat you possess (minimum 1/2 its standard cost, rounded up), and it takes 2d12 hours to arrive. Hold Out Not even the roughest mistreatment dents your composure. Benefit: When you’re the Prey in a brainwash or interrogation, the starting Lead increases by 1. Further, you may increase your Conflict skill check’s error range by 1 to double the current round’s duration. Finally, when you’re the Prey in a brainwash or interrogation, you may choose any Prey Strategy even if you don’t meet its requirements. Living Cipher You possess an intuitive understanding of complex mathematical concepts. Prerequisites: Int 15+. Benefit: When writing or cracking a code without a computer, you’re considered to be using a computer with a Power Rating equal to your Intelligence modifier. Further, when writing or cracking a code with a computer, its Power Rating is considered to be 1 higher (maximum 10). Off the Cuff You’re a consummate professional, able to adapt to any circumstance. Prerequisites: Career Level 3+, Best Under Pressure. Benefit: During a standard scene, you may spend 1 action die to substitute your ranks in Profession for any other skill for 1 check. You may use this ability a number of times per mission equal to the number of Tradecraft feats you possess. Office Gossip You spend much of your time at the home office between ops, cultivating friends in high and low places. Prerequisites: Career level 12+, Career Agent. Benefit: You may make a Request check without spending an action die a number of times per mission equal to the number of Tradecraft feats you possess. Further, you may take 10 with Request checks. Old School You’ve been around the block more than a few times, and others can tell. Prerequisites: Career level 6+. Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus with all Charisma-based checks targeting characters that share at least 1 class ability or 3 feats with you if their Career/Threat level is less than or equal to the mission’s Threat Level. Poison Basics You’re practiced with the field application of deadly toxins. Prerequisites: Science (Pharmacology) 3+ ranks. Benefit: You gain 1 gear item with the quality as a Possession (personal gear). This item’s Caliber may not exceed 1/3 your career level (rounded up). Further, each time you request a poison, the number of doses gained increases by 1. Also, you cannot accidentally poison yourself when creating a poison, or preparing a poison for use. Finally, you gain a +2 bonus with saves made to resist poisons. Queen’s Gambit You know when to risk your greatest advantages to take an opponent by surprise. Benefit: As a full action, you may spend your 2 largest action dice to allow you or one of your teammates who can hear you to use 1 feat or class ability 1 additional time during the current scene. This ability must be one that may only be used a number of times per session equal to the owner’s starting action dice. This use does not count against the number of times you or the teammate may typically use the chosen ability. You may use this ability a number of times per session equal to the number of Tradecraft feats you possess. Quick Thinking You do your best thinking when you’re outmatched. Prerequisites: Career Level 6+, Off the Cuff. Benefit: During a dramatic scene, you may take 1 full action and spend 2 action dice to target an opponent within your line of sight whose Career Level or Threat Level exceeds your Career Level. The chosen character must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + your Intelligence modifier + the number of Tradecraft feats you possess) or become of 1 level until the end of the current scene. Each character may be targeted with this ability only once per mission. You may use this ability a number of times per mission equal to the number of Tradecraft feats you possess. Risky Maneuver Your crack team is reserved for the toughest assignments. Prerequisites: Career Level 9+, Commendation. Benefit: Once per mission during the Intel Phase, you may increase the mission’s Threat Level by 3. Each player character’s Career Level is considered 1 higher when determining the mission’s XP rewards. Each mission may be targeted with this ability only once, no matter how many characters possess the ability. Safe House You maintain a network of secure locations around the world. Prerequisites: Career level 3+, Lifestyle 3+. Benefit: At the start of each scene when you’re located in a city of 10,000 of more people, you may declare that you have a safe house within 10 miles; otherwise, you may declare that you have a safe house in the nearest city of 10,000 or more people (the GC determines its exact location). The nature of your safe house is equal to a home at your Lifestyle minus 2. You may use this ability a number of times per mission equal to the number of Tradecraft feats you possess. All safe houses are lost at the end of each mission. Superior Documentation The boys at the home office look out for you, building strong cover identities. Prerequisite: Networking 3+ ranks. Benefit: You gain 1 cover identity as a Possession (personal gear). This item’s Caliber may not exceed 1/3 your career level (rounded up). Further, each time you request a cover identity, its Power Rating increases by 1 (maximum 10). Finally, you gain a +1 gear bonus with all Bluff checks made while using a cover identity. Total Control You work closely with your Control, and can count on his support when you need it. Prerequisites: Career level 18+, Office Gossip. Benefit: During the Intel Phase, one member of your team may choose to discard 2 action dice at the start of every session until the end of the mission to increase the mission’s Caliber by 1. Further, you may make Request checks to acquire Caliber V gear options. Category:Feats Category:Tradecraft Feats